Axle-box



N M (11.) 6 W. WALKER.

" AXLE BOX.

No. 561,457. Patented June 2, 1896.

W QENTUR [HQ/film),

WITNESSES.

ATTORNEYS.

AN DREW BGRANAM, PHDTD-UIHD.WASNIN5TDNID.C

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WALKER, OF MAYFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

AXLE-i-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561 ,457, dated June 2,1896. Application filed November 8,1895. Serial No. 568,336. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM TALKER, of Mayfield, in the county ofLackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Axle-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates especially to an improvement in axle-boxes adaptedto receive axles upon which the wheels run looseas, for example, theaxles and wheels of cars employed in the Working of mines.

The object of the invention is to so construct the box as to preventwater and dirt from gaining access to the oil-holder, thereby preventinga waste of oil, since in many mines where coal is loaded out of waterthe water and dirt run into the boxes usually employed and force the oilout from the holder, as the oil will float on the water.

Another object of the invention is to construct the axle-box in suchmanner that no packing will be required and so that it will not benecessary to remove any bolts or nuts when changing a bent axle or abroken or worn-out wheel, since the box is made in slidably-connectedsections. This peculiar construction of the box also obviates thenecessity of unloading a car and throwing it from the track in the eventa wheel or axle should break when the car is loaded, it being requiredonly to raise the car and slip another wheel or axle in position.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference inclicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is afront elevation of the improved axle-box, illustrating itas applied to the sill of a car. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section throughthe improved box, the section being taken practically on the line 2 2 ofFig. 3. Fig. 3 is a section taken at a right angle to that shown in Fig.2 and on the lines 3 3 of Figs.

2 and l; and Fig. 4is aplan view of the axlebox, a portion of the bodyof the box being broken away to disclose a portion of the interior ofthe oil-holder.

In carrying out the invention the axle-box may be said to comprise,primarily, a bodyA and an oi l-holder B. The body A is flat upon thetop, except at its inner edge, where it is ordinarily provided with alongitudinal rib 10, and at the front central portion of the box on thetop a housing 11 is located. The top of the body of the box is adaptedto fit against the bottom of a sill O of a car-frame, the rib 10 beingat the inner edge of the sill, as shown in Fig. 1, and the body isbolted to the sill, openings 12 being provided near the ends of the bodyfor that purpose.

In the under face of the body at each side of its center angular orinverted L-shaped slideways 13 are constructed, and between theseslideways a block 14 is attached. to or made integral with the body, theblock being provided with a semicircular or segmental seat 14 to receivethe reduced end or spindle of an axle D, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, andpreferably the spindle or that portion of the axle which enters the boxis substantially of an even length with the aforesaid seat.

The oil-holder B extends upward in the vertical sections of theslideways13 and is provided at the top at each side with a horizontal-flange 15, the flanges entering the horizontal sections of theslideways, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and these flanges are of less widththan the width of the said horizontal sections of the slideways.

The upper inner side faces of the oil-holder fit close to the side facesof the said block 14, and horizontal shoulders 16 are made in the innerside faces of the oil-holder to receive a portion of the lower face ofthe said seatblock in order that the oil-holder may have guided movementin the body and be preserved against lateral play.

The oil-holder may be removed entirely from the body by carrying theholder outward; but the holder, while it maybe drawn out from the bodyat the front in order that the holder may receive a supply of oil ormaybe cleaned or in order that the axle may be withdrawn from the box,cannot, when carried in a forwardly direction, leave the body, since atthe rear of its flanges 15 lugs 18 are formed on the outer edges of thesaid flanges, which likewise travel in the horizontal sections of theslideways 13, and pins 19, constituting stops,

are projected downward through the body of the box and through theforward portion of each slideway in the path of the lugs 18, as shown inFig. 4. Therefore it will be observed that the oil-holder cannot becomelost, since it will not become separated from the body, and the heads ofthe pins are countersunk in the upper face of the body, and when the boxis attached to the sill of the car will be held in place by said sill,as shown in Fig. 1.

The oil-holder is provided with a semicircular recess 17 in the upperedge of its rear end to accommodate the spindle of the axle, and therecessed portion of the holder, in conjunction with the seat of theblock 14, forms the bearings for the axle-spindle.

The front of the oil-holder is provided with two walls, an inner one 20and an outer one 21,

and the space 22 between these walls, which may be termed a pocket, isopen at both the top and bottom, and preferably the upper portion of theouter wall upon its inner face is inclined in a downwardly and inwardlydirection.

The oil-holder is held in proper position relative to the body of thebox by means of a key or a pin 23, held to slide within the surface ofthe body and partially inclosed by the housing 11, which servestoprotect the upper end of the pin, while the lower end of the pin or keyis provided with a head 23, which prevents it from being withdrawnentirely from the body, and the pin or key 23, by entering the pocket22, looks the holder to the body.

WVhen it is desired to slide the holder outward from the body to releasethe axle, the pin or key 23 is raised, and its head will pass the upperedge of the inner front wall 20 of the holder by reason of a recess 24being made in that portion of the said holder, as shown in both Figs. 3and 4;.

WVhile the vehicle to which this box is attached is in motion, and whena car is being dumped on the head of breakers or dumped at any otherpoint, the oil is thrown against the axle, lubricating the same, (aspacking or Waste is not required in this box,) and will thereby find itsway into the hub of the wheel. In ordinary work it is not necessary tore plenish the oil frequently, since it will last for a long time.

The box is so constructed that it is not necessary to remove the bolt ornut when changing an axle or when changing a wheel, and axle when thecar is loaded and a change in the or the wheel is required it is simplyneces sary to raise the car and slip the axle or Wheel into place, andas the axle-spindle or that portion entering the box is substantiallythe same length as its seat in the box when the holder is pulled forwardto its full extent the axle-spindle will be immediately released. Thespace 22 between the walls 20 and 21, which is open to the bottom of thebox, is intended to take off the water and dirt that may get inalongside the pin 23 and prevent it from getting into the holder. Theouter wall 21 is also intended to prevent material that might happen tobe near the track from striking the pin 23 and bending the same whilethe cars are in motion.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In an axle-bearing, a body-section provided with anaxle-seat, an oil-holder partially embracing the axle and havingslidable connection with the said body, lugs projecting from the slideof the oil-holder, and stops carried by the body and adapted to beengaged by the said lugs and limit the movement of the oil-holder in onedirection,whereby the said oil-holder will not be separated from thebody and yet may be filled or cleaned, as and for the purpose specified.

2. An axlebearing, the same consisting of a body portion provided withan axle-seat, an oil-holder having slidable connection with the saidbody and provided with lugs in the slideways of the body, and keys orpins carried by the body and extending within the slideways in the pathof the said lugs, as and for the purpose specified.

3. An axle-box, the same consisting of a body having an axle-seat, anoil-holder slidably connected with the aforesaid body and provided atits front with an open pocket arranged to receive and for the exit ofextraneous matter, a key carried by the body and entering the saidchamber, and stops likewise carried by the said body and limiting themovement of the oil-holder in an outwardly direction, as and for thepurpose specified.

4:. An axle-box, comprising a body portion provided with an axleseat, anoil-holder slidably connected to the body and having its front closedwall normally forward of the point reached by an axle in the box, apocket on the outer side of the front wall open at its top and bottom,and a key adapted to engage in said pocket and with the body to lock theparts together, as and for the purpose specified.

VILLIAM VALKER.

Vitnesses:

M. F. NORTON, JNo. T. LOFTUS.

